Like Brushing Your Teeth
by Clare bear 48
Summary: Michaela remembers her journey towards intimacy with the love of her life Sully.


Like Brushing You're Teeth

**Disclaimer I do not own the characters from Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. The rights to those characters and to the show belong to the creators of the show, to CBS, The Sullivan Company and to A&E.**

So much had happened in such a short space of time since Michaela had married her mountain man Sully. She had been amazed at how her life had completely changed during that short period.

She felt she had a permanent smile on her face now because of all the secret and amazing feelings and sensations she had been experiencing in these past few months. Her awesome husband had so patiently transformed her from an innocent naive woman to a mature one. He had awoken in her desires she had never thought possible or even imagined. Just a thought of any night together aroused in her a need to be with him again.

...

For all the years as she had grown up she endured her mother's talks on *it's a wifely duty* Elizabeth Quinn had offered her four sisters. They had weighed on her mind like a large heap of books, convincing her that the act must have been boring, painful or unpleasant. These lectures had begun when she was young and had finally become a woman, with her first period, that in fact had frightened the life out of her as she was unprepared. Her mother's own ideas would challenge any girl. She in truth had never seen her parents even so much as touch each other in their company. She couldn't help but wonder if in fact they did love each other at all. How they had ever conceived five daughters was beyond her comprehension.

When she spoke to her sisters or been in their company it had been all sniggers behind raised hands and blushes on pale cheeks. She was told she would know at one point if she ever got married. This remark was always accompanied by the rolling of eyes for they all considered her a bit odd as she preferred books to parties and balls. All of them bar for her eldest sister Rebecca were convinced she would never find the kind of husband who would allow her to keep her dream alive of being a doctor, let alone be a married woman and raising a family.

...

There had been some moments when she had considered asking Sully questions or telling him of her fears like when he had tried teaching her how to fish. Now she remembered their talk with a smile.

Unintentionally she had found herself with her back up against the wall so to speak when Sully had said half worms didn't count.

She had replied, "They have both...they can reproduce themselves... by themselves... They have both male and female parts". Stumbling here she valiantly continued. "Together, in one body, all the parts."

Hiding his smile Sully had stated, "Doesn't sound like much fun." He was hoping she would finally open up and tell him why she was fretting.

He told her about an Indian legend that also had a parallel in Greek mythology, which had only added to her discomfort.

Later after some silence she asked about Loren and Dorothy. "Do you think a man could love two women at the same time?"

Watching her intently he answered with a question of his own. "If you were one of those women would you want him to?"

Silence had fallen between them. She knew that answer already and it was a definite, "No."

...

She had deliberately tried thrusting these confusing thoughts down whenever her mind drifted to their being intimate especially the first time on their wedding night. She'd been so afraid she would not please him.

Sully had once called it "Courtin' and sparkin" which told her that he definitely enjoyed this part of a relationship. Her medical books written by men gave her no idea about what a woman experienced. They referred to all the pleasures the male of the species received in graphic detail; how they would attain the steps that impregnated the woman and the gratification they would actually achieve. The big blank was how the woman faired, only that the first occasion could be uncomfortable even painful.

...

When she had tried teaching Sully to dance he seemed unable to keep his hands to himself wanting to always touch and kiss. Their ideas on courting where so distant from each other. Whenever Sully tried to talk about it she became uncomfortable. She realized that she did need to talk but it overwhelmed her and she withdrew into herself completely closing his attempts out.

Michaela also remembered her conversation with Dorothy when she had revealed, "Sully and I have agreed to court. But...It's not going well."

Answering Dorothy enquired, "Why's that?"

Michaela told her about their differences and the possibility that there needed to be change. Dorothy had explained she didn't think Sully actually meant changing but it was mainly about accepting people as they are. She assured that differences in a couple were good.

Finally Michaela had shyly said, "Sully wants to touch and kiss." Her cheeks became pink even mentioning this to her friend.

Slowly the truth dawned on the older woman, "And you've never been with a man?"

Michaela admitted. "Maybe this is a terrible mistake."

Dorothy was finally getting her to realize, "But you love him." Although she felt vulnerable she did love him so very much.

...

Michaela remembered another time when Sully was teasing her in a discussion: when she had discovered him browsing through her medical books on anatomy, gazing at the image of a naked woman.

After he'd explained why he did what he did he'd suddenly asked, "Ya ever talk to Brian about the birds and the bees?"

"You mean procreation... well not exactly…" Feeling embarrassed talking to him about such a delicate subject her voice had trailed off.

She knew he was pushing her.

"Don' ya think it's time he knew about what happens between men and women who fall in love and get married? About snugglin' and kissin' and pro-cre-a-shun?" he'd asked as he circled around her kissing her lightly, obviously enjoying himself.

Distracted by his breath tingling near her ear which sent her into a spin she'd replied, "I suppose it is time. I have an excellent book he can read."

Surprised Sully had said, "Book? Why don' you just sit him down and tell him what he needs to know? He's only interested in the basics. What ya call things. How babies are made. The rest of it you learn by doin'." He was still intent on distracting her, and she knew she was madly blushing now.

He didn't actually tell her how he had learnt but did reiterate, "Not everything you need to know comes in a book."

Later that day he was smiling as he had told her he had spied on a friend's sister when they had spoken about seeing someone naked for the first time. He had snorted when she admitted being twenty-six and the male was fifty-four and she was dissecting him.

She remembered another awkward moment, even though they had seen each other in some form of undress while out near Hardy's Mill.

She had wanted so much to explore her feelings but being told the woman never initiated contact left her totally confused as well. The books written by men did nothing to alleviate her misinterpretations.

...

When she had talked to Dorothy and admitted she had never been with a man and had been reassured that Sully loved her and she would be all right she still felt over whelmed. There was nobody she felt she could ask until the death knock so to speak when she had shyly approached Dorothy. Her wedding was in less than a week away now.

Dorothy's statement about as easily as falling off a log made her feel worse and she had to remind her friend she had never fallen off that log.

...

Then there had been their pre marital talks with the reverend and how she had finally admitted to Sully she was afraid. He had tried to softly reassure her that he would honour her insecurities by taking things ever so slowly. She was amazed but truthfully she knew now, she should have always trusted him when it came to teaching her how they could enjoy their being together.

...

They had their first real kiss at the Sweet Hearts dance, Michaela had been so jealous then of any women that Sully seemed to look at twice. Dorothy was one of these but she was only trying to help. Later she had experienced how Sully had used his tongue to entice feelings that were simply over whelming. It had happened when he had proposed to her in the sweat lodge, and later when he had found her admiring his wedding present to her. Lying on the old yellow quilt she knew she had pushed her own boundary and had found it difficult to follow on with the myriad feelings he had aroused in her. It had taken all her own will power not to drift into the zone of no return, but then the stern image of her mother had materialised chastising her and searing her mind with *good girls don't surrender to a man's desires until they are married* a man's desire. What about what she felt, what she desired? Was she really so bad?

Once again her medical books explained in detail a man's perspective of what occurred in the act of procreation but there was nothing on women other than explanations on their anatomy, names of body parts and what they did but nothing else. She just did not understand men's fascination of the female form. Running her hand down over her body she wondered if Sully would like what he saw, adding another concern on top of the growing list.

...

Finally they had had their amazing wedding and found out later that their journey to Denver was in fact going to be more than they had imagined. Sully had been so true to his word and been ever so gentle with her. Standing in front of each other, soaking in their other halves naked body she was in awe of the feelings she experienced then. When he had breathed out "Ya so beautiful'" she could hear her heart beating a rhythm like an old Indian drum beat convinced it was in tune with the man she loved who now stood in front of her. Never had she thought she could feel all these emotions in so short a time. Her own desire she was sure was being reflected back in his eyes as well.

There had been no need for her to fret as they had joined in the dance of love easily, and she had been surprised at how she was gently led to enjoy her life with the man she loved so much knowing he loved her just as much.

She had become a lioness stalking her husband wanting him more and more. It overwhelmed her at times. They had nearly been discovered by Matthew on one occasion on the middle of the day.

...

Months later at the gathering of the quilting circle she explained how Colleen had been rebelling.

Grace said, "Your family is changin', too. I bet she doesn't get as much of your attention as she used to."

"I'm afraid that's true. Sully and I have been rather absorbed with each other." She was smiling as she admitted this to the group.

Myra noticed, "There's a shine in your eyes."

Grace added, "Your skin kinda glows."

"Being married clearly agrees with you." Dorothy chimed in looking up, smiling at her young friend.

Giggling Michaela informed them. "I'm surprised, actually, I didn't have the impression that it agreed with my mother."

Memories were surfacing within the group of the power house that was Michaela's mother Elizabeth Quinn, and all joined in a laugh.

Grace was interested asking, "How's that?"

"She called it the *wifely duty*. At first I was inclined to agree, but... things improved." A blush was spreading onto her cheeks as her thoughts drifted back to the night before where they had shared themselves in a very satisfying romp.

Grace added. "It just got better."

"Do you think most women find it agreeable?" Michaela wondered as she once again thought of the inadequate text in her medical books and Sully's comments "The rest of it you learn by doin'." _"OH yes! I certainly did,"_ she though reddening even further.

Grace answered, "Sure."

Myra said, "If they are in love they do."

"I think women find it even more agreeable than men do. Cause the men don' want to know that. It would vex 'em." Dorothy added and all the women giggled.

Once again all the text she had read sped through Michaela's mind and she did have to agree.

"You're still in the honeymoon stage. Enjoy it, because it aint gonna last forever," Grace remarked.

Dorothy with a sly smile said, "I don' know about that. It doesn't have to end."

Myra only partly agreed, "No, but it gets different, that's all. It sorta gets part of the days routine. Like...brushin' your teeth."

With peals of laughter from the whole group they settled down to their stitching, their minds though on another subject.

...

That night as she waited impatiently for Sully she reminisced over the past year and how much things had changed.

Softly Sully entered their bedroom and begun removing his beads and medicine bag. He asked her if she had been worried?

"Not worried. But...When you're not here now. I think about you without ceasing. It frightens me." She encircled his bare torso in a warm embrace, kissing his neck, inhaling his scent that she loved, pressing closer to him.

Smiling Sully asked. "Why?"

With a breathy voice she continued, "It seems all I want is to be with you."

His voice growing husky he assured, "I'm here."

He was always thrilled when Michaela showed her enthusiasm and initiated their joining together. For him it was only getting better. After their talk the other week when he had reassured her that being married to her was different to that of his life with Abigail his feelings where more intense, and he felt they were the other half of each other.

Circling him and drawing him closer so their bodies were flush against each other she quietly teased, "How can people say this is *like brushing your teeth*?"

Lifting her and placing her on the bed he dipped his head licking the sensitive skin near her ear, feeling her quiver at this gentle touch. "It's just like that. Isn't it?"

Pulling him down to join her she whispered with a smouldering look, "Let's see."

They both knew they would soar to heaven once more in each other's embrace.

The end


End file.
